I can only hope this is to bring back Ivelisse in some sort of revenge capacity, because while Lei’d Tapa may have been adequate, she was also awkward, unconfident, and incredibly frustrating. Last week, Ivelisse got the win via submission while Lei’d Tapa held her shoulders mere inches from the ground. Instead of tapping, all she had to do was drop her supporting leg and use her size to get the pin on Ivelisse. It wasn’t well spotted and made her look weak, and like she had no ring awareness whatsoever. Ivelisse is a heck of a lot better than she was on Tough Enough or FCW or NXT or whatever, and she could make a real name for herself in TNA. She’s been looking good in the last Shine PPVs, and the Knockouts division needs someone who can learn and grow and be a good match for someone like Gail Kim. Her ‘rana last week was beautiful, and looked a million times better than anything Tapa did. Just because people are booing Lei’d Tapa doesn’t mean that she’s over as a heel like Jay Bradley, it means they legitimately do not want to see her wrestle again, or cut another weakbutt promo. Her asking us to imagine what she could accomplish in two more years doesn’t make me look forward to watching her work out the kinks on TV, it makes me think that even she knows she’s not ready for this. If she’s gonna stick around, even with Velvet Sky’s terrible everything, she’s got a steep learning curve, and I’m not sure she can keep up.

Best: Heels rule, Chavandez Sky drools

Not getting to see the heel trio’s entrances was definitely a disappointment. It’s pretty much a given that any time they dance on down to the ring, Kazarian and Daniels make my heart grow three sizes. Any worsts I get ready to write up seem to magically disappear in a haze of Ring General medals, appletinis, and homemade Kazmania shirts. That said, I enjoyed this match a lot more the second time I watched it. It wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever seen, and it’s disheartening that a lot of my bests end up being because they’re completely adequate, but Kazarian, Daniels, and Gail Kim managed to make this six-man tag a lot of fun. It also helps that they’re super good at what they do.

Chavandez wasn’t total hot garbage for a change, and Hernandez’s suicide dive looked good, but man, Velvet Sky… Now, a lot of you seemed to interpret my criticism of her lazy and poorly executed moves as hatred, which should be cleared up here and now. I don’t “hate” Velvet Sky. I don’t “hate” any of the ladies in the Knockouts division. When you are paid to perform a job you should make sure you are putting your best effort into everything you do, especially when it involves the physical safety of others. Yeah, those create-a-wrestler streaks are pretty bad, but it genuinely doesn’t matter what she looks like, or how many people will rush to her defense because she has a certain kind of aesthetic that appeals to a certain amount of people. You can be attractive and still be a good wrestler. You can be unattractive and still be a good wrestler. It doesn’t matter what you look like when you’re throwing clotheslines that look as bad as hers. If you don’t care enough to make any sort of improvement after ten goddamn years, well guess what – you’ve walked through that door once, you can walk through it again. There are many, many talented female wrestlers who would be happy for a steady paycheque and to show off their skill at something they have a passion for. If you’re just going to be a placeholder, or someone who likes rubbing their butt on a camera, put on some stripes and jump around with Taryn Terrell and let people who have some respect for themselves and what they do get in the ring, and stop wasting my time.

Worst: Magnus

Hoooo boy. Magnus. That was…not a thing you should be doing on television. Sting is beaten, bloodied, and understandably upset. Can he trust his team? Can he trust anyone? Magnus responds with “I dunno, I can’t even trust myself sometimes, but this is war, and tonight I show the world who I am.” Um….not really helpful. That doesn’t answer whether or not you can be trusted. You’ve been around for ages. We’ve seen you. Some of us have even seen you as the Ring Ka King champion (though all of us should, because Ring Ka King). Last week he was treated like some young gun, not a guy who has been wrestling for their company since 2008. He’s teamed with and feuded against Samoa Joe who is right there. You were great in Ring Ka King, Magnus. You are not great here. Much like the theme of the night, you are ruining the narrative with your piss poor execution.

I don’t know what you’re talking about concerning Wes Briscoe. I think it’s really sweet that TNA lets a mentally retarded person cut promos and styles his hair as if he is scheduled to be in a Whitesnake video.

Also, can we get a Worst for Sting wearing an over-sized t-shirt of himself backstage? With his face paint and hideous $5 dollar K-Mart wrestling shirt, he somehow looks like more of a juggalo than Jeff Hardy.

You’re better than that Stinger. Go sign with WWE and wrestle Taker at Wrestlemania 30 to end your career.

even gunner and crimson are growing fine beards like morgan .. mike knox should just leave A&8’s and all four guys should form a stable that I don’t have a good name for it and would like YOU guys to help me in that !

They form a stable known as the Bearded Gentleman’s Club and then feud with the Beard Hunter, who stalks the backstage area beating up those with facial hair because of his genetic inability to grow a beard of his own.

actully, they decided that only 3 of the matches at lockdown are going to be inside of a steel cage ! and even though that’s TNA throwing another original concept of their history, I actully like the decision and understand the reasons behind it !!

in other news, we got kenny “with the most awesome hair cut ever” king vs zema “goku” ion vs christian “ninja turtle” york for the X-division title on the ppv too ! and also JOSEPH PARK VS JOEY RYAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Half way though, and it’s excellent as always Diamante. The worst when they introduced Danny Davis is well deserved (although I did sort of chuckle when Taz thought he was crooked referee Danny Davis). Why try and get your own roster over when you can continue to suckle on the teet of Vince McMahon and just confirm to your viewing audience that you’re second class all the way.

As much as I can see where you guys are coming from, mentioning that he trained the biggest star in the business doesn’t seems like something they should probably mention if they’re trying to get over his credentials (I mean, if it’s that important to justify his having a spot on the panel). They should also find a way to make TNA not seem second rate, yes, but that could apply to the whole show.

I would have been fine if they had just said, hey Here’s Danny Davis he runs OVW where most of the gut check guys end up anyway. He’s trained John Cena, Gail Kim and oh lets say Austin Aries* and treated the situation like adults instead of snickering kids trying to get away with mentioning the competition without actually saying their name.

*I have no idea who Davis has actually trained but the OVW allumni page is super impressive and pretty much has everyone that’s wrestled in the last 15 years on it.

“All right, you ragtag bunch of misfits! You hate me, and I hate you even more. But without my beloved Horsemen, you’re all I’ve got. So I want you to remember some inspiring words that someone else might have told you over the course of your careers, and go out there and win!”

As only a sporadic watcher of TNA, I didn’t realize that D’lo was still kayfabe anonymous.

The Aces and Eights saga is just killing TNA right now. It’s reaching Wheel of Time levels of “just end it already”-ness. But there’s no end in sight, since Sting is contractually obligated to get stabbed in the back by someone at Lockdown, (It’s not a ppv unless someone betrays Sting) and we’re still due for the shocking turn of Bully and/or Brooke AND the reveal of the Higher Power. (Those last two could be the same, I suppose)

When your glacial pacing and obvious twists make this year’s Road to Wrestlemania seem like The Usual Suspects by comparison, you’re doing it wrong, made even worse by the relatively high quality of the Bully and Brooke storyline before the wedding.

Worst of all, the only conceivable endgame for this fiasco is a match involving the 2013 versions of Sting and Hogan, plus the possibility of Jeff Jarrett taking part as well.

Congrats on the new podcast. I just got around to listening to it and it was good.

You are a brave soul for watching TNA. Kurt Angle just walking into the Aces and Eights HQ by himself has got to be one of the dumbest things I’ve seen in awhile. And that’s including the Zack Ryder/Kane storyline.

Knowing that Vince on occasion will grab one of their guys out of reflex memory (Christian) TNA may be employing the strategy of not knowing who the leader of Ace’s and 8’s is until the day of the reveal, to prevent scalping.